Meet Mrs. garner

Welcome to the Cimarron Literacy page with Mrs. Garner!

I am so excited to be at this leading school and here in Parker. I am a Colorado native, left for a short bit while my husband served in the Air Force, and have been back home in Colorado living in Parker for 22 years. It's nice to be teaching in my own community with kids I have known their whole lives!

Personally, I've been married for almost 31 years and have two children, a daughter that is a Colorado State University graduate now attending medical school, and a son that's a graduate of Los Angeles Film School who's amazing with all things digital. I spend a lot of time with my family, hiking, traveling, and supporting the Colorado State Rams (http://www.csurams.com). We go to many football, volleyball, and basketball games throughout the year. I also love to do 1/2 marathons and try to do 8-10 per year. I'm never in it to win it, but thrilled when I finish under my own power! 

Professionally, I graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies.  I am licensed in Elementary Education, Special Education K-12, and finally, I have a Master's degree in Education with a focus in Reading and Literacy. I've taught in elementary schools, and middle schools, and have been a classroom teacher, a Special Education Learning Specialist, an English as a Second Language teacher, and a Literacy Specialist. I've been at Cimarron in this capacity since the building opened in 2009. It is my honor and my pleasure to be the Literacy Specialist at this amazing school while working with these amazing kids!

Cimarron is committed to preparing all students to enter high school. We have an outstanding opportunity for students to build their literacy skills in our Dimensions in Literacy class. We provide one on one, small group, and whole group instruction. This class allows teachers to help struggling readers close any learning gaps developed in prior years which may not easily be addressed in the core language arts class. For students who have READ Act contracts, this class is an automatic placement to support the struggling reader and aggressively close the learning gaps while adhering to federal and state laws and/or requirements, along with district policies.  This class is offered in place of an elective and is an additional class to the language arts core class. Students will explore strategies and skills aligned with the Common Core to build effective and efficient reading abilities. We utilize many different tools and resources to strengthen reading skills. Our results have been impressive. Our students not only gain knowledge and skill but an appreciation for the importance of literacy in their lives. We are always proud to share that we often have students who elect to stay in this class to build advanced reading skills even after having earned their way into another elective. Please see the Student Testimonial Projects tab, as well as the Testimonial tab, which shares thoughts from both students and their families. 

One piece of the class utilizes a terrific computer program designed to help all readers of all levels build strong reading skills. This program is called Reading Plus. Reading Plus is a computer-based program that completely individualizes materials and instruction to coincide with each individual learner. It is designed to help children build their skills in comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, visual scanning, and fluency. It also provides opportunities for students to share their higher-level understanding of stories through writing prompts that tie directly to a story they have read. It is fun and challenging, all at the same time. Please feel free to preview Reading Plus at their website linked here: Reading Plus.

In addition to teaching these classes, I am also a proud founding member of the Academic Success Team at Cimarron. This team is made up of a Special Programs Counselor, a Gifted and Talented representative, a Math teacher, a Literacy Specialist, an English as a Second Language Specialist, a Special Education representative, a Counselor, a Professional Learning Specialist, and two Administrators. Together, with our staff and families, we are reinventing what individual student and teacher support looks like in middle school education. We are very excited about this amazing initiative supporting student success. Feel free to learn more on the AST tab. (AST Webpage)

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime. 

Common Goal for Reading Plus: Increase efficiency and capacity to independently read and comprehend complex text.